DAY OF THE DEAD 2023 - Cause of death: impunity

Press Freedom

1 Nov

PEN International honours journalists killed in Latin America

PEN International launches its Day of the Dead 2023 campaign, honouring nine journalists killed since 2 November 2022 in retaliation to their work, and calling on Latin American governments to end impunity for these crimes and ensure justice

PEN International presents a film made by PEN Haiti to commemorate the journalists killed in their country

Since 2018, at least 87 journalists have been killed in 10 countries in the Americas and the Caribbean in possible reprisals for their work, such as for investigating security, organised crime or environmental issues.

1 November: PEN International launches its annual Day of the Dead campaign 2023, titled "Cause of Death: Impunity". Featuring events and actions across Latin American countries, including Mexico, Paraguay and Haiti, the initiative aims to commemorate journalists killed for their work, and pressure Latin American governments to make substantial progress in their investigations of journalist murders. Cause of Death: Impunity" is carried in collaboration with PEN Centres and networks in the region, and aligns with the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists.

Since 2000, almost 190 people have been brutally murdered for their investigations and reporting, making Latin America the deadliest region for journalism worldwide. PEN International has documented the murders of at least 87 journalists since 2018. From November 2, 2022, to the present, PEN has recorded the deaths of at least nine reporters: 4 in Mexico, 2 in Colombia, 1 in the United States, 1 in Paraguay, and 1 in Haiti. PEN International believes that many of these reporters were likely attacked in retaliation for their critical journalism, particularly regarding issues such as corruption, the environment, organized crime, drug trafficking, public security, or their activism.

The countries with the highest number of murders are Mexico, Haiti and Colombia, followed by countries where criminal investigations into murders remain unfinished or unpunished, such as Honduras, Brazil and Paraguay.

In countries such as Mexico and Haiti, the influence and strength of criminal groups, as well as government and police corruption, along with pervasive impunity, significantly limit the exercise of freedom of expression. Journalists face countless threats, harassment, censorship and all too frequently, brutal murders. Many of their colleagues or family members, are prevented from reporting these crimes due to fear of retaliation.

Despite multiple calls to the Mexican authorities for a genuine and effective dispensation of justice, crime rates continue to rise, and impunity for these offenses stands at least to 90%. This prevailing impunity hinders the prosecution of those responsible for these crimes, and restrict the victims’ families from obtaining adequate access to justice.

In 2013, the United Nations General Assembly adopted its first resolution on the safety of journalists and impunity for crimes against them and proclaimed 2 November as the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists. Since then, human rights groups globally have urged Member States to prevent attacks, ensure justice, and protect journalists' independence.

Take action today, join our campaign:

Take action

PEN International calls on its members and supporters to take at least one of the following actions on or around the Day of the Dead - between 1 and 9 November:

Help spread awareness by sharing the profiles of the journalists featured on PEN International's social media channels.
Build a Day of the Dead altar in memory of murdered journalists and writers (see here how to build a Day of the Dead altar) and share an image on social media.
Organise a public reading of poems, articles and other relevant texts (see attached literary material and the book "Writing against impunity").
Post an obituary on your social media profile, announcing the death of one of the journalists listed in the attached documents. For example:

Luis Martín Sánchez Íñiguez, Mexican reporter, correspondent for the daily La Jornada. Date of death: 8 July 2023. Cause of death: impunity.

Promote the activities of other PEN Centres on your social media profile, using the hashtags: #DayOfTheDead2023 #DayOfTheDead #PENProtest

For more information, please contact Alicia Quiñones, Head of the Americas Region at PEN International, email: alicia.quinones@pen-international.org; or Sabrina Tucci, Communications and Campaigns Manager at PEN International, email: sabrina.tucci@pen-international.org

EVENTS

PEN San Miguel - Online

Altar - In memoriam. Journalists murdered in Mexico.

Altar | SAN MIGUEL PEN

PEN Haiti - Online

Presentation of the film "Jounalis an Ayiti: yon metye ki make san", available in Spanish and French.

https://youtu.be/3C0g5R6z_vQ?si=u24b4JIIyqX87Q7w

Chiapas PEN - Online

Writers in indigenous languages honour journalists killed in Latin America.

https://www.facebook.com/PENchiapas

PEN Guadalajara - 3 November - Face-to-face

Tribute to murdered journalists